In 2013, for the very first time, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) overtook Zambia to become Africa’s leading copper producer, with an output of 925 000 tonnes. This is an extraordinary accomplishment, given that barely 10 years earlier,...
1. It’s the first step
Blasting is the very first step of the mining process. Explosives are placed deep in the ground (surface mining) or in the rock-face (underground mining), and detonated to release large quantities of mineral-bearing ore. Explosives...
Did you know that advances in mining technology mean that you can now grow gold and copper next to your tomatoes and maize? This is not science-fiction or the speculation of a wild-eyed scientist, but technology which is being...
There is a myth that many people believe with regard to copper mining – that the price of copper alone determines the strength and success of the industry, as evidenced by the amount of copper produced.
Whilst price is a...
To commit a billion dollars or more to a venture which might only show a return on investment 10 years from now is a tough decision which prompts tough questions:
How great is the mineral deposit?
Once exploration has found a mineral deposit worth...
The rewards in mining can be high, but so is the risk. Starting a new mining venture is a long and arduous journey, and there are many reasons why it could fail.
"It takes an average of 12 years between...
Supply and demand: we all know how this works. If there’s too much of something (whether bricks, maize or tomatoes), there’s a glut and the price goes down – because the product is so easy to get that people...
An easily understood feature of corporate taxation is that you only tax a business once it is making a profit. But what do you do if it takes several years before the business makes a profit?
It easily takes 7-10...
Outside of the aerospace and defense industries, mining is arguably the most capital-intensive business in the world.
You have to move a lot of earth to get at the mineral-bearing ore, and this requires complex structures, equipment, vehicles and heavy...
Step 1
Ore is taken out of the ground
Holes are drilled in the ground (if it’s an open-pit mine) or in the rock-face (if it’s an underground mine), and explosives are placed in them to blast it open. The resulting...
